Science Lab Report
Note: This page is about the Science Lab Report for Ms. Jung's Science class. The Science Lab Report is a report given to a class after completing a Science Lab. It is typically worth 20 or 30 points. Format The below is an exact transcription of the official format for Ms. Jung's Science Lab, provided by Ms. Jung: How to Write a Lab Report Title: (2 pt) Short and precise; should accurately describe the experiment. The reader should be able to understand what the lab is about just by reading the title. Example: Speed Background Information: (2 pt) Briefly describe observation and data on the topic, if applicable. Example: It is a common practice to describe the motion of an object using subjective terms such as fast or slow. However, these are relative descriptions., A rabbit may hop away faster than a snail can slide, but slower than a cheetah can run. An objective and quantifiable description of speed is given in terms of the distance covered over time. If a distance of 5 kilometers is covered in 0.25 hours, the speed is said to be 20 kilometers per hour, 20 kmph. However, this value does not describe the speed at any particular moment, thater, it describes the speed for the entirety of the trip. It is the average of all the speeds at the numerous instances throughout the journey. Therefore, the value 20 kmph, is the average speed of the moving object. Purpose: (2 pt) Give a rational explanation as to why you are conducting the experiment. Example: This lab is conducted to compare the speed of a toy car down a ramp with various obstacles. Hypothesis: (2 pt) Hypothesis must be testable and it is a prediction as to what you believe your investigation will show. This is a “If _____________ then ____________” statement. Example: If the surface of the ramp is obstructed then the speed of the car will be less than on an unobstructed surface Materials and Equipment (2 pts) Provide a list of the essential materials and equipment needed for the experiment. Example: toy car, ramp, ruler, timer, protractor, obstructive material (specify the obstruction) Procedure: (2 pts) Give a detailed, numeric step-by-step description of how this experiment should be conducted. Another scientist should be able to replicate your lab using your method. Also include a sketch of the set up. Example: 1. collect all of the materials 2. Place the ramp against the wall 3. Measure the angle of the ramp to keep the variables consistent 4. Place the car on the ramp 5. Measure the distance and the time of the travel 6. Repeat steps 1 ~ 5 with the obstructions. Data: (4 pts) * Data table (Produce a labeled table of your results, including units of measurements). * Diagrams or sketches or photos of the experiment Example: Effect of obstruction on speed *units should be indicated only once on the heading of the column. Analysis: (6 pts) * Calculations (if applicable) - show any calculations that you used in the interpretation of your data * Graphs (must have) - include the title for the graph, label the axis, indicate the units and show appropriate increments * Data trends (if applicable) - give a brief explanation of the observations, trends/links in the results. * Error analysis (if applicable) * Explain how errors could have occurred during the experiment and what steps should be taken to minimize their effects. Please avoid using the term “human error”, which is imprecise and lacking in specificity. (must have) Conclusion (8 pts) Write a paragraph: State if the purpose of your experiment was fulfilled. Revisit your hypothesis and state if it was correct or not. State your thoughts on the reason for the discrepancy. You might have discovered something no one realized! Explain what you achieved by performing this experiment. Reflect on what this experiment did to further your knowledge, either scientifically or personally. Include suggestions for further investigation. Example: The purpose of this lab was to compare the speed of a car down a ramp with various obstructions. We hypothesized that if ______ then _______. The lab we conducted demonstrated the hypothesis to be correct incorrect as shown by the data. . . Guidance Following the exact format of the Lab Report will often yield a high score. However, points are usually marked off on the "Analysis" section for graphs. Graphs are required to be hand drawn in Ms. Jung's class. Students are often marked down for not using Bar Graphs or Line Graphs when appropriate, so are therefore advised to ask Ms. Jung as to which type of graph is applicable before turning in a Lab Report. Category:7th Grade Category:8th Grade Category:Science Category:Assignments